What does being ‘cleared’ at a 6-week postnatal check really mean?

Have you heard of the 6-week postnatal check? It can be often seen as the most important marker for some new mums, whether to return to heavier lifting, exercise, to drive or to return to sex. 

In Australia, this quick check is often performed by a GP, midwife or Obstetrician; they could assess anything from wound healing to mental health, baby growth to lactation and everything in between. These short appointments cover all the important medical requirements but are often not adequate to assess everything for a postnatal women - especially for a clearance to run (which is far too early at 6-weeks!). A physiotherapist with Women’s health experience will physically assess a postnatal mother and identify areas to work on, before they become a problem. 

At Total Physiotherapy, Marney will spend an hour listening to your birth history in detail and recording your symptoms, listen to your goals with returning to exercise and answer any questions you have before undertaking an assessment. 

A Women’s Health consultation may include an external and/or internal vaginal assessment of your pelvic floor function, prolapse risk, abdominal muscle function, scar tissue and tear recovery; as well as, a musculoskeletal screen of your body. Following this process, Marney will be able to guide you through to returning to your goals or activity (whether it is exercise or intimacy-based).

Marney Staniforth

APA Physiotherapist